Time-recording apparatus.



No 810,370. PATENTBD JAN. 16, 1906.

' W. I. FOLLETT.

TIME RECORDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1' I /N ENTOH Wl/T/VES:9E8, I k/Mm 7/7, .//fm B 1945 A TTORNE Y PATBNTED JAN. 16, 1906.

W. I. FOLLETT.

TIME RECORDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W/T/VESSES ATTORNEY invention comprises time-actuated recording the details thereof being quite immaterial so to the printing devices, or vice versa, each UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TIME-RECORDING APPARATUS.

No. 810,370. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan. 16, 1906.

Application filed November 6,1905. Serial No. 285,962.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILBUR I. FoLLETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Summit, county of Union, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Time-Recording Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The apparatus forming the subject of this printing devices or wheels arranged, operated, and controlled in any appropriate manner,

far as this invention is concerned. The apparatus also includes a card receiver, holder, or carrier of any appropriate character so related to the time-printing wheels that an impression may be made upon the card or paper when properly placed in the holder. The invention requires that the card-holder and the time-printing devices shall be movable one relatively to the other and the mechanism or organization by which that is accomplished may be of any appropriate character. Moreover, it is immaterial whether the card-holder be moved relatively to the time-printing wheels, or vice versa, although I prefer, for many practical reasons not necessary to be here stated, to move the card-. holder.

This invention resides in the automatic movement bodily of the card-holder through uniform distances in a straight line relatively increment or degree of movement corresponding with one of a number of determined subdivisions of a work period of a day or the daily period of shop or factory operation, whatever it may be.

In the following part of this specification I shall for convenience allude throughout to the card-holder as movable relatively to the time-printing wheels. Preferably the cardholder will be automatically moved under the control of a timepiece correspondingly with equal subdivisions of an hourfor instance, one step for each fifteen minutes. The period of time represented by each movement will, however, be varied in practice to suit requirements.

The organization above outlined is designed for use in connection with a card, such as hereinafter described, having upon it consecutive figures in a series or column spaced in accordance with the desired subdivision of the time and representing progressivelyelapsed time from the time of starting the shop until the hour of closure. The matter upon the card is so displayed and the apparatus so organized that when the card is inserted in the holder and an impression from the time-printing wheels made thereon at the hour of starting the shop or other establishment the impression will be opposite the indication of zero time on the card, and when the work of the day upon the ob is finished and a time-impression taken of the time that impression will, by reason of the uniform automatic time-controlled progression of the card-holder, appear opposite the figures on the card representing the total elapsed time. Of course if the first or starting time-impression is made after the opening-hour, the time opposite such first impression may be subtracted from the total time indicated opposite the finish or final impression in order to arrive at the total elapsed time spent on the job. This invention, however, contemplates a larger utility than has thus far been suggested, in that it is proposed by the use of a separate elapsed-time card, which may also be a rate-card, as hereinafter described, to indicate without calculation of any kind the total elapsed time. Such an elapsed-time card will have in a column or series indications of the hours and equal subdivisions thereof, if such there be, corresponding with the time-card printed upon by the machine, so that by placing the zero indication on such elapsed-time card opposite the indicated-time subdivision on the other card, opposite which the starting-time has been printed bythe recorder, the figures on the elapsed-time card opposite that subdivision of the other card opposite which the finishing-time imprint has been made will show the total elapsed time. These cards are of course properly laid out to allow for the noon recess. In other words, the progress or movement of the card-holder represents a corresponding elapse of time, and consequently a given distance measured upon either the card that is printed upon in the machine or upon the other or elapsed-time card represents the elapse of so much work-time.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a rear elevation of so much of a time-recorder mechanism as is necessary to illustrate this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view (some parts being omitted) of what is shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section Fig. 4, a detailed side view with the card-holder feedrack in section, showing the feeding-pawl and means by which the latter is periodically actuated. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the devices indicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 shows the record-card, which for convenience will be called the printing-card; and Fig. 7 shows the elapsed-time card, which may be provided with any desirable data for the particular purpose or business in which it is to be used and also preferably has printed upon it a column of figures giving the total wages for the various periods of elapsed time at the rate per hour for which the card is made out. The amounts due, as shown by the rate-card being printed in a column opposite and in subdivisions corresponding in dimensions with the elapsed time subdivisions in the elapsedtime column.

The recorder is of course to be equipped with suitable means for taking impressions from the printing-wheels, and may be conveniently constructed as disclosed in my Patent No. 803,888, dated November 7, 1905. The motor for driving the time-printing wheels (when they are driven by an independent motor) may conveniently be controlled by a ti mepiece in the manner shown in reissued Letters Patent No. 12,860, dated June 20, 1905. The drawings herein generally resemble the constructions disclosed in said patents.

The card-holder a is of skeleton construction, having end pieces with open flaring mouths b to receive and support the end edges of the inserted cards, and these endpieces are connected by cross-pieces c at the front and d at the rear. The card-holder at the rear is provided with a bracket 6, in an aperture in which is located the guide rail or rod f, upon which grooved pulley g, mounted in bearings on the cardholder, runs. A strap h is connected with the bracket e and extends thence to a spring-drum i, the arrangement being similar to that for the carriage of an ordinary bar type writing machine. At the rear of the carriage is a vertically-disposed rack-bar j, cooperating with an ordinary fast and loose tooth-pawl 7c, mounted upon a rock-shaft m and having applied to it a coil-spring n, the action of this pawl and its cooperation with the rack being in all respects such as occur in an ordinary type-writing machine. The pawl is time-controlled, so as to trip the cardholder at regular intervals of time, which are, as stated, subdivisions of a work period of a day. This may be conveniently done by extending outwardly from the pawl an arm 0 into the path of a cam 19, turning with the minute-wheel shaft q of the instrument. This cam has four equally-spaced rises and the arm 0 is normally urged against its face by spring n. The minute-wheel shaft makes one complete revolution in each hour, and

consequently the four equally-spaced rises of the cam p actuate the pawl is once in fifteen minutes, when by the reaction of the spring- 'drum the card-holder is advanced one step.

All such movements'of the card-holder are of course uniform, and represent with reference to the printing-card which is to be inserted into the holder an interval of fifteen minutes time. The time-wheel shaft is shown as controlled by an escapement-lever 1', slotted at its end to receive a pin on a time-driven wheel 3, as described in my reissued patent above mentioned. The details of construction of the fast and loose tooth-pawl, as well as of the cam on the minute-wheel shaft, are as clearly shown, and since these constructions are usual and their operation well understood specific description thereof is unnecessary. Of course any other devices or constructions may be adopted to carry out the purpose of this invention. Now by reference to the printin -card illustrated in Fig. 6 it would be seen (al the parts being properly proportioned and arranged) that if a workman at the time of starting work on a job inserts his card into the holder and makes an impression thereon the impression will be opposite Zero time (for instance, seven a. in.) on the printingcard-namely, at the place indicated by ac. Correspondingly, if he commenced work on the job an hour, three-quarters of an hour, or any other time later than the shop-starting time the starting impression printed upon the printing-card will be (for instance, as at at) opposite the subdivision on the card representing the elapsed time since the opening or zero-hour, because the movement of the card-holder has been coincident with the subdivisions on the card. When the finishing-time imprint is made upon the printing-card say at the point marked y, the interval between the starting impression and the finishing impression will represent the elapsed time, and the latter impression will be opposite that subdivision of the card representing the total elapsed time since the opening of the shop. Now when the elapsedtime card, as shown in Fig. 7, is used in conjunction with the printing-card having the starting and finishing imprints upon it, the space representing zero timenamely, that at the point marked zis placed opposite the subdivision, where upon the printingcard the starting impression is made, and since the elapsed-time card is laid off on exactly the same scale as the printing-card the elapsed time indicated thereon opposite the finish imprint upon the printing-card will show the total elapsed time. On the printing-card a noon recess is indicated, the particular card shown providing for a recess of forty minutes. A corresponding noon space is provided on the elapsed-time card. The elapsed time and rate card (shown in Fig. 7) is laid out on the basis of a wage of twelve dollars and fifty cents per week of sixty hoursi a, twenty and five-sixths cents per hour. All the spaces at right-hand side of the card are to be progressively filled in as are the eight spaces at the bottom, in which case the amount will be, as shown, one hundred and nine and nine twenty-fourths cents opposite the elapsed time indication five hours and fifteen minutes. It has been thought unnecessary to fill out the entire card, as it is illustrative only. Of course it is possible that the cards may have the mat ter inscribed upon them arranged in a different manner.

In apparatus operating in accordance with this invention the impression device and the card-holder are movable one relative to the other in a straight line, so that impressions made upon the printing-card are successively at different distances from the start end of the card are in parallel lines and in column formation. The measured distance between impressions represents, therefore, corresponding lapse of time. The card-holder is provided with an open mouth permitting ready insertion and withdrawal of cards by the workman, and therefore the apparatus is adapted for ready rapid successive use by a large number of men. There are practical reasons why I prefer that the impression devices should be printing-Wheels making an impression in full of the actual time.

I claim as my invention 1. Workmans time-recording apparatus comprising a card-holder and time-printing mechanism one bodily movable relatively to the other in the direction only of the maximum dimension of the card-holder, and a time-controlled motor progressively actuating such movable member automatically from one extreme position to the other extreme position correspondingly with the lapse of time to progressively bring to the impression point consecutive portions of the printing surface of a card representing a Work period of a day.

2. Workmans time-recording apparatus comprising the combination of an impression device and a card-holder bodily movable rela tively thereto in the direction only of the maximum dimension of the card-holder, and a time-controlled motor progressively actuating the card-holder automatically from one extreme position to the other extreme position correspondingly with the lapse of time to progressively bring to the impression-point consecutive portions of the printing-surface of a card representing a work period of a day.

3. Workmans time-recording apparatus comprising the combination of impression devices and a card-holder, one of said members being movable bodily relatively to the other in one straight line only from one extreme position to the other extreme position, and a time-controlled motor automatically actuating such movable member step by step corresponding with equal subdivisions of an hour to consecutively bring to the impression-point successive equally-spaced portions of the printing-surface of a card representing a work period of a day.

4. Workmans time-recording apparatus comprising the combination of impression devices and a card-holder, one of said members being bodily movable relatively to the other in the direction of the maximum dimension of the card-holder from one extreme position to the other extreme position, and time-- controlled means automatically actuating said member step by step corresponding with equal subdivisions of an hour to consecutively bring to the impression-point successively equally-spaced portions of the printingsurface of a card representing a work period of a day.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WILBUR I. FOLLETT.

Witnesses L. F. BROWNING, E. F. WIOKS. 

